Blended Learning in Real Estate Education: A Survey

Blended learning is to regarded a didactical meaningful combination of traditional face-to-face instruction and state-of-the-art e-learning formats. The efficiency and flexibility of computer-mediated forms of learning are combined with the social aspects of face-to-face communication. In other words a useful learning arrangement which combines modern-day means of networking through the internet and ‘classical’ learning methods and media.

At the time of writing, blended learning has been operational for some fifteen years. Normally this would be long enough for optimal models to have evolved and regimes to be established to measure the effectiveness of the techniques employed. However, blended learning involves the use of technology – at least in part – and fifteen years is a long time in technology terms.

Early online learning developed as an asynchronous process – especially outside the traditional University environment. As a student-centred teaching method it uses different resources to facilitate information sharing among a network of people. It is not constrained by time or place but was constrained by technology, particularly low bandwidth, that restricted the complexity of course material and effectively prevented the construction of synchronous interaction.

More recently, with the effective removal of bandwidth constraints, synchronous online learning has been developed as a way of addressing the issues of transactional distance experienced with asynchronous learning.

It must be noted that real estate education is not at all unified. Major differences may exist concerning (blended) learning. In order to verify this assumption, a survey about the use of blended learning in real estate education has been conducted.

Survey results have been triangulated with a number of in-depth interviews with course directors and leaders. In addition case studies of blended learning practice are presented to add context to the study.